Implant retained auricular prosthesis: A clinical report

Abstract

Prosthetic ears are created for patients with microtia, a congenital defect that affects 1 in 10,000 births, as well as patients that have ears removed due to cancer and trauma. The current standard for ear prostheses is osseointegrated abutments and either magnets or bar clip prosthetic attachments. Osseointegration is a technology that grew out of the dental industry and was effectively translated to other prosthetic applications. Defects of the external ear could be corrected using prosthetic reconstructions retained by implants. Implant retained auricular prosthesis eliminates the need for the adhesives and provides better retention compared to the conventional prosthesis. Bar and clip design is currently followed for retaining the ear prosthesis. Bars are fixed onto osseointegrated craniofacial implants through a surgery. Clips embedded in an acrylic housing are used to retain the prosthesis on the bars. The major problems in this method are the bulk of prosthesis that compromises the final cosmetic outcome and the loosening of the clips. Although several reconstructive techniques exist for the auricular defect, the use of implants to anchor auricular prosthesis presents a suitable alternative. This article presents a case of a right auricular defect, which was congenital for which two bone-anchored implants were placed. Hader bar with ERA attachments was used for retention of the silicone auricular prosthesis.